If you’re following along with our English adventures, last week we left off with pulling into the sheep farm in the Peak District. You can find part one here.

Driving slowly down the long road to Troutsdale Farm brought on a mix of excitement, relief, and peace. After everything that had happened in the last 48 hours, packing, spending hours in airports, flying in cramped spaces, sleeping in a small room, barely getting any sleep, taking a train and then driving a ways on the opposite side of the road for the first time, the sight of sheep gently grazing in a pasture was a welcome sight for dreary eyes.

Our host met us along the way and directed us to a barn at the end of the path. Walking in, we were greeted by a light homemade cake and some lemon water. We were barely able to bring our luggage inside before running to the backyard where sheep were roaming, flowers were blooming and bees were buzzing just beyond our classic stone wall. It was a rare moment of perfect contentment and bliss.

Once we had spent enough time sitting in silence, listening to the peaceful tweeting and baaing, writing in our journals, and eating cake, we managed to get to the grocery store to stock up for our time there and buy ingredients for a wonderful pasta dinner in our beautiful kitchen (served at midnight).

The next day was a fairytale.

We woke up to the sun shining and a cool breeze blowing through our open window, with a few baaas thrown in. Today we were going to Chatsworth, home of Mr. Darcy in the Joe Wright-directed version of Pride and Prejudice. It didn’t seem real even when we were standing in front of it. Our jaws actually dropped because of its magnificence.

If I shared everything that happened this day with due justice, it would become much too long to read, so I shall end it here for the week.

Tune in next week to learn what happens when we step out of our car near a local fish and chips cafe.